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Nick Carter, You’re Still the Only One

Singer. Actor. One of the People’s “50 Most Beautiful People in the World.” A member of Ellen’s Squad. Father-to-Be. Man, it’s good to be Nick Carter.

At the age of 12, Nick Carter became an international pop superstar as the youngest member of the iconic Backstreet Boys, blessing the world with hits – and the best karaoke jams — like “I Want It That Way,” “Everybody,” and “Quit Playing Games (With My Heart).” To this day, the Backstreet Boys are the best-selling boy band in history and are one of the world’s best-selling music artists of all time, netting over 130 million records worldwide, winning countless awards, and stealing the hearts of millions of fans (one of them being tweenaged me).

While still a member of the pop band, Nick Carter has also paved a formidable solo career for himself, releasing three solo albums, including his latest, All American. He’s proven his acting chops in The Hollow and 90210, rumbaed his way to second place during Season 21 of Dancing With the Stars, and soon his pet project, Dancing With the Stars, and soon his pet project, Dead 7, a zombie Western starring fellow boy banders AJ McLean, Howie D, Joey Fatone, and Chris Kirkpatrick, will be airing on the Syfy Network.

I was lucky enough to chat with the legendary heartthrob on the eve of his new All American Tour, and let’s just say that my 11-year-old self would be crying tears of joy right now:

What was the inspiration for your latest album, All American?
The inspiration behind my album All American came a lot from the fact that I really enjoy doing solo stuff — it gives me a chance to step outside of the box and do stuff that I don’t normally do with the boys. I love playing guitar onstage and rocking out and I incorporate that into my solo music. The five of us all give each other the freedom to do our own thing and it makes the bond that we have stronger than ever.

Things can get kinda crazy when making an album. Do you have any memorable moments from your time in the studio?
I’m super nerdy if you guys didn’t catch that from some of the stuff I’m into! Haha. While I was in the studio writing with Dan Muckala and Bryan Shackle, we were saying a lot of ridiculous things. We all started to joke around that we were going to crack the code — in this case cracking the code meant finding the song that could be single material. We all were using these intense surfer voices, like “yeah man, you cracked the code.”

Why was it important for you to start off your “All American Tour” in the Capital of California?
Starting in California meant a lot to me — it’s home for me now. I have so many loyal fans here that usually have to wait until the end of the tour to see the show since we’ve started on the East Coast in the past.

You’ve been in the public eye for 20+ years. What notable life lessons have you learned from being in the spotlight?
Everything you say and do is publicized — it’s just one of those things that come along with the territory. Things are written in a certain way or simply aren’t true. The media can turn things around on you. I’ve learned that I have to keep pushing forward and remain positive. Continue to be productive and constructive…I’m going to continue to make music and make all of my fans happy.

Outside of your tour, what does the rest of 2016 have in store for you?
I’m really excited for everything that’s to come in 2016. My wife (Lauren Kitt) and I are expecting our first baby in April, I can’t wait to be a dad! Dead 7 is coming in the spring as well. The movie is really fun and out of the box. Can’t wait for all the positive press and the haters!

I’m working with a few guys from the film (you might know them — AJ, Howie, Joey, and Chris) on doing a song together; it’s going to be a big deal.

Then the Backstreet Boys will be setting sail on a cruise to Europe in May. Then we’ll be recording together, hoping to release a new Backstreet Boys single and album early next year.